UPDATE 1-France continues Mali strikes, sends troops to Bamako

PARIS Jan 12 (Reuters) - French forces carried out a second
day of air strikes against Islamist rebels in Mali on Saturday
and sent troops to protect the capital Bamako in an operation
involving several hundred soldiers, Defence Minister Jean-Yves
Le Drian said.

A French pilot was killed on Friday when his helicopter was
shot down during an air strike near the central town of Mopti as
France began the operation to help the Malian government stem a
push south by rebels who control much of the north, he said.

The operation targeted a column of rebels headed for Mopti,
he said.

"In this intense fighting, sadly, one of our pilots ... was
fatally injured. He was evacuated to the nearest medical centre
before dying of his wounds," Le Drian told a news conference.

He said France had sent special forces into Mopti to prepare
the ground and later sent "several hundred" troops into Bamako
on Friday to safeguard the capital.

France had additional Rafale fighter jets on standby to be
deployed, Le Drian said. President Francois Hollande was due to
hold a meeting with defence officials at 3 p.m. (1400GMT).

Le Drian said a raid by French forces in Somalia to try to
rescue a French secret agent held hostage there since 2009 was
not linked to the Mali intervention. The hostage, Denis Allex,
is believed to have died in the raid, along with one soldier, he
said. A second soldier was missing.